


Those Who Slither in the Dark

by myWorks



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, F/F, F/M, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Magical Realism, Missing Persons, Modern Era, Non-Graphic Violence, Strained Friendships, demon slayers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-20
Updated: 2019-10-19
Packaged: 2020-12-24 12:30:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,664
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21099491
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/myWorks/pseuds/myWorks
Summary: When Zuko applied to Sozin University under an assumed name, he did so with the goal of killing the demon possessing his father or dying trying.  Encounters with fellow demon slayers and the possibility of a surprise family reunion, however, will have him questioning everything.





	Those Who Slither in the Dark

Zuko hates 24/7 spaces. They tend to be a haven for demons, looking for some poor soul too tired to resist and too determined to push themselves to their physical limits to want to. He's in the Roku Memorial Library now and while many of the lights are off, he's learned very quickly the library makes liberal use of automatic lights. It makes stealth harder, but part of Zuko enjoys the challenge.

He's getting close, if the screaming in his head is any indication, which it is. The Blue Spirit,who bonded with Zuko nearly eight years ago to the day, is screaming for justice which tells Zuko that this demon has killed before. Those are the easiest for Zuko to find. The Blue Spirit demands justice for those wronged and its angered screams in Zuko's mind help guide him towards any murderous entity - demon or otherwise.

He's leaving the towers of books and approaching a study area when he hears generic pop music playing. It startles him for a second, but Zuko quickly refocuses himself on the chase. The layout of the library has the study area dead in the center, with the main entrance to the north and the fiction, nonfiction, and reference sections looming in the other directions with their own smaller entrances.

As he clears the final collection of books, he finds the study area empty save for one boy about his age. His dark brown hair is up in a bun and there's a hint of scruff along his jaw, just barely managing to darken the skin it covers. He's focused entirely on the book in front of him and there are papers scattered across the desk where he's sitting. Zuko wonders if he realizes how much danger he's in.

He considers how he's going to avoid the other boy's attention when a scream nearly forces Zuko to take a knee. The demon, wherever it is, is closing in fast. And it's coming in for the kill. Adrenaline courses through Zuko's veins as he surges forward. He is losing the time needed for subtlety so he can only hope the boy is too engrossed in his research to notice Zuko's presence. And that there's no one else in the vicinity to witness what is about to happen. Zuko sees the demon creep from the fiction section, allowing it to come up from behind the boy. Zuko focuses on his breathing and ignores the pain as two small blades, glowing orange with heat, creep from the bottoms of his closed fists. The skin will heal. If he's too slow, the boy in the study area will not.

Zuko hates the game he has to play, allowing the demon to creep closer so that he can get it from behind. The creature has apparently decided to ditch its human host, who's probably somewhere in the library laying unconscious. It's nearly six feet tall, its skin an ugly color somewhere green and brown. It has massive bulging black eyes that take up most of its head and a neck thin enough Zuko isn't sure how it's supporting the head, which is the size of the desktop computers just past the main entrance. Its not wearing clothes, but has no obvious sexual organs. It does, however, have hands with three fingers ending in foot-long claws that Zuko does not want to get cut by.

As the demon gets closer, so does Zuko. When the demon is about three feet from the boy, Zuko charges forward. He's moving as quickly as he possibly can without making a sound, something he's become very proficient in over the years. In seconds, Zuko is almost in striking range. He jumps forward, daggers extended and poised for decapitation when he notices the boy turn around. Zuko has about a second to think he's busted, as he very well can't abort his kill at this point. Zuko is shocked as he watches the boy pull a pure black sword from nowhere as he turns around.

The boy in the study area slices upwards at the demon just as Zuko pulls his knives together through the back of the demon's deck. Zuko's forward momentum causes him to tip the demon forward and finishes his attack. The demon's head rolls under the boy's chair and the smell of sulfur is almost overpowering. But Zuko is more concerned with the blue-eyed young man locking eyes with him. A beat passes as the demon disintegrates beneath the two boys. 

"Um, one sec, don't move." The boy says before grabbing his bookbag running past Zuko. A series of coughs and panicked noises alerts Zuko to the location of the demon's host and, despite the boy's instructions, Zuko runs after him. When Zuko finds them, the boy from the study area is handing the host a bottle of water.

"I didn't mean for this happen, I just needed to pass! I had to get all A's, my parents can't afford this place without my scholarship! This wasn't supposed to happen! Oh God, what have I done!" The host, a younger looking girl, is hyperventilating and the boy from the study area gently encourages her to drink some water.

"It's okay, it wasn't your fault. This wasn't you. Now I need you to relax." He says soothingly. Zuko watches as the other boy engages in one of the parts of demon-slaying Zuko usually avoided when he could: comforting the discarded host. Zuko watches as the boy carefully lifts the girl to her feet and encourages her to go the chapel.

"It'll make you feel better and they can't hurt you there." The boy says. The girl nods as she takes a few hesitant steps forwards before sprinting out of the library. Zuko has heard the rumors that places of worship repel demons and sure, he's never killed a demon at one, but he has killed several demons possessing religious leaders and he's not particularly convinced of the rumor. The boy watches after the girl for a few seconds and then turns towards Zuko, an amused grin on his face.

"So much for not moving," he says in a voice that's drastically different from the soothing one he was using before with the girl.

"Oh, um, I-"

"I'm kidding." The boy says as he takes a few steps forward and extends his hand. "I'm Sokka." He says and Zuko stares for a few seconds before responding.

"Lee." Zuko gives his fake name and shakes Sokka's hand. 

"Nice to meet you, Lee. Honestly, every time I think I've met all the demon slayers I'm going to know, a new one pops up." He laughs. He starts walking back towards the study area and Zuko follows behind him. When they get back, Zuko notices the black sword missing.

"Oh no, your sword it's-" 

"Ah, it's fine." Sokka says, cutting Zuko off and walking towards the table where his stuff is laid out. He fingers a pin and twirls it before clicking i to the open position. Zuko watches as the pen morphs into the impressive 2-feet long sword with the solid black blade. Sokka held it out for display and Zuko cast a panicked look around the area.

"What are you doing? What if someone sees you?" Zuko hisses. Sokka scoffs and rolls his eyes, pressing on the bottom of the sword's hilt, which is apparently the command needed to turn it back to pen form.

"Dude, it's 2am at one of the biggest universities on the planet. I can assure you, people here have seen stranger things than a black sword. Odds are, they'll probably just assume cosplay or something." Sokka shrugs. Zuko isn't sure how to process the statement, but Sokka seems nonplussed. Sokka then takes a long investigative look at Zuko. The latter can't help feel self-conscious when Sokka makes it to his face and winces.

"I'm guessing that's your demon-slaying origin story?" He says and then frowns.

"Sorry," Sokka sighs. "That was kinda fucked up, I don't always think before I speak." 

"It's cool. It kinda begs the question." Zuko responds, fingering the scarred tissue around his left eye. Sokka let out another sigh as the conversation died down. 

"Still, if there's one thing I've learned doing this, it's that origin stories tend to be personal. I guess I've worked with the demon slayers around here so often, I forgot that most people don't tell it to strangers." Zuko doesn't respond for a few seconds.

"I've only met a couple and...it usually doesn't work out." He admits and Sokka gives him a sympathetic grimace.

"Yeah, I can imagine. We can be a...prickly bunch to get along with." Sokka laughs. He then starts gathering his papers.

"Well, hey I do have to get to bed. I'm an RA and I have orientation tomorrow. See you around?" Sokka asks hopefully. In general, Zuko prefers to keep his personal business to himself. But Sokka seems genuine and, judging from the brief demonstration of his skills, not a bad ally.

"Yeah," Zuko says finally. "I'm actually starting here tomorrow." 

"Seriously? That's awesome! Which hall are you living in? I could be your RA." Sokka says, enthusiasm taking over. Zuko can't help but smile in response.

"I live off-campus, actually. At Ember Isle Flats." Sokka guffaws.

"Oh shit, you must be loaded." Sokka says, but Zuko puts the idea down.

"My uncle is helping me out, actually. I think it's his way of guilting me into actually finishing the semester." Zuko admits and Sokka nods understandingly.

"Well hell, if all I had to do to live there is attend college you'd better believe I'd do it. I bet you have your own washer and dryer, don't you? I'm so jealous." At this Zuko can't not burst into laughter. Sokka seems pleased with himself as he hands Zuko a strip of paper.

"Well hey man, if you ever need anything, here's my number. I'll see you around, Lee."


End file.
